Refrigerant Water Preheating with Selective Heat Exchanger Bypass
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for preheating water using refrigerant from air conditioning apparatus are often complex and expensive, making them undesirable for many applications.
Innovation Solution
A system that captures and utilizes refrigerant heat from air conditioning or heat pump systems to preheat water in a water heater tank, using an electronic control circuit to manage refrigerant flow through a heat exchanger, allowing for efficient transfer of heat when needed and bypassing the heat exchanger when not required, with a two-tank configuration to enhance efficiency and storage capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If refrigerant heat is captured from air conditioning apparatus to preheat water, then water preheating efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the air conditioning system and water heater into a single integrated unit, where the refrigerant cycle serves dual purposes: space conditioning and water preheating. The heat exchanger is incorporated within the water heater tank, allowing refrigerant to transfer heat directly to water during both cooling and heating modes, thereby improving water preheating efficiency while avoiding the need for separate complex systems
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant cycle is designed to perform multiple functions: it cools or heats space air through the evaporator and condenser, and simultaneously preheats water in the water heater tank. The system automatically switches between heating and cooling modes based on seasonal conditions, making the refrigerant system universal for both space conditioning and water heating applications without requiring separate dedicated systems
2Use of energy by moving object
If refrigerant heat capture system is implemented, then energy efficiency is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the air conditioning and water heating functions into a single integrated unit with shared components (compressor, refrigerant circuit, heat exchanger), the patent reduces the total number of components needed compared to separate systems. This consolidation lowers manufacturing costs while maintaining high energy efficiency through effective heat recovery from the refrigerant cycle
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the waste heat from the refrigerant cycle itself to preheat water, rather than requiring an external energy source. The refrigerant provides its own heat automatically during both cooling and heating modes through the heat exchanger immersed in the water tank, making the system self-sufficient and reducing overall energy costs without complex external energy input requirements
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides a cost-effective and efficient method for preheating water, improving the efficiency of air conditioning or heat pump units and providing additional hot water capacity during peak demand periods while maintaining system simplicity.
Implementation Method 1
a heat conductive tube spiral wrapped around a metal tank portion of the water heater and serving as a refrigerant-to-tank water heat exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
Water heater apparatus includes a tank for storing water; a heat exchanger associated with the tank and being operative to receive refrigerant and transfer heat therefrom to the tank, the heat exchanger representatively being a heat conductive tube externally wrapped around the tank in heat conductive contact therewith; air conditioning apparatus operative to utilize refrigerant flowing through a refrigerant circuit portion of the air conditioning apparatus, the refrigerant circuit portion being in fluid communication with the heat exchanger; and a control system operative to selectively cause a portion of the flowing refrigerant to pass through the heat exchanger, or cause essentially the entire flow of the refrigerant to bypass the heat exchanger.